Women’s squad for XIV Pacific Games set

FFAS President Iuli Alex Godinet gave the final list presented to him and the executive committee their final stamp of approval.(see separate story for men’s team list and the coaching staff)“We are happy with the team and commend our CEO Tavita Taumua, his staff and the coaching staff for their hard work in training our men and women’s teams,” Iuli said. “This is our best team available and we hope that you bring your best out on the field in New Caledonia.”FFAS’ group totalling 44 players and team officials, leave for New Caledonia with the American Samoa contingent via a chartered Air Pacific flight at 11:50 p.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2011 and arrive back in the territory at 6 a.m. on Monday, September 12, 2011.WOMEN’S TEAMA little more than half of the players have international experience after competing in the 2010 OFC Women’s U-20 Championship while there are only two returning from the 2007 squad that took part in the XIII Pacific Games in Samoa.The two are sisters Filiga and Meleane Ioapo.The Ioapo sisters, Sancia Sopoaga, Moaga Siaulaiga, Fiapaipai Siatuu, Fuataina Siatuu, Trixie Mavaega, Tuiemanu Ripley and Fiso Letoi represented American Samoa at the OFC Women’s U-20 that was played in New Caledonia.The coach is Uinifareti Aliva while the assistant coach is Faleupolu Naomi Oney. The team manager is Amio Mavaega-Luvu while the trainer is Luaao Wasko.“One good thing that I am looking to get out of this tournament is experience because a lot of our players are very young,” Aliva explained. “Our girls are very excited though and will only get better with experience from this competition.”Eight players will be making their debuts for American Samoa — Lela Waetin, Kristina Vernes, Ava Mana’o, Elma Mana’o, Lynn Tualaulelei, Julliam Muasau, Nikki Tolmie and Tasi Alailesulu.Some of the top players on the squad include Filiga Ioapo was nominated for OFC Women’s Player of the Year in 2009 after her performances as goalie for the 2007 Pacific Games squad. Sancia Sopoaga was awarded the Golden Glove for best goalkeeper at the OFC Women’s U-20 Championship in New Zealand last year.Meleane Ioapo is a multiple MVP player for various soccer competitions in American Samoa from the high school to the national league levels.But the team will be missing two very important players — Beulah Oney and LaToya Grey. The two trained the team for months before heading off to Bacone College in Oklahoma, USA and were unable to be excused from school in order to participate in the Pacific Games.“They have sent their regards and best wishes to our team and we will miss them very much,” said FFAS CEO Tavita Taumua. “We also wish them the best and know in our hearts that they are there with us and will be once again donning an American Samoa jersey in the near future.”In a meeting between the association’s leaders and the players’ parents last week, the playing and training uniforms were displayed for all to see as well as other accompanying apparel.Each player was given a new pair of boots as well as other apparel such as FFAS shirts.The parents thanked the association for all it had done and asked only one thing of the players — that they give it their best by laying it all out on the field during the game.“If you play your best out there in representing your country and us your parents, then that’s all we ask for,” one parent said.Log on to www.ffas.as or oceaniafootball.com for updates on the team’s progress.The schedule for the men’s games (New Caledonia time with local time in bold and parenthesis) is as follows:A.S. vs. Papua New Guinea — August 29, 10:00 a.m. (August 28, 12:00 p.m.)A.S. vs. New Caledonia — August 31, 1:00 p.m. (August 30, 3:00 p.m.)A.S. vs. Solomon Islands — September 2, 9:00 a.m. (September 1, 11:00 a.m.)A.S. vs. Tahiti — September 5, 9:00 a.m. (September 4, 11:am)American Samoa Women’s Squad for XIV Pacific GamesFiapaipai SiatuuSancia SopoagaFiliga IoapoMoaga SiaulaigaFuataina SiatuuFiso LetoiTasi AlailesuluAlma ManaoMeleane IoapoLynn TualauleleiJulliam MuasauNikki TolmieTuiemanu RipleyLela WaetinKristina VernesTrixie MavaegaAva Mana’o

About FFAS

A territory with just 70,000 people and an area of 199km², American Samoa is traditionally strong in sports such as gridiron, basketball and baseball but football is starting to take over these popular pastimes. The strength of the game is at the youth level where Football Federation American Samoa (FFAS) has worked hard to establish competitions within schools. Under the tutelage of President Iuli Alex Godinet.